Root Canal or get tooth pulled?

[KC2014]

I've had root canals and an extraction. I would always try the root canal first, extraction is last resort.

[LadyFromage]

Root canal is honestly not bad!

[sammykitten]

Originally Posted by ILoveDaveLamb

I had the worst toothache at the weekend. I literally did not know what to do with myself.

A nice dentist gave me emergency treatment yesterday and the pain is much reduced...just a niggle now really.

It is my second off back tooth. I had to choose between a referral to a specialist (private] dentist for a root canal filling and a cap...about £1k ..nhs treatment or an extraction. I am veering between the 3 options.

I am booked in for an NHS root canal...no guarantees it will work. Appointment is an hour and 15 mins. Yikes. Saw girlfriends for lunch today who had all had root canals which did not work. Now thinking about extraction.

What would you do? I am 50 and a big fat wimp.

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my only extraction is my 2nd-to-back tooth on the bottom. I would go with the extraction instead of a root canal. (I don't enjoy dentists).

[hideinpockets]

I had a root canal recently, no worse than a filling! The worse part is keeping your mouth open for so long but it wasn’t painful or anything!

[munmun]

Teeth are very important, get the root canal, you will regret it if you don’t. Big gaps are not good!

[Lisa123wm]

Originally Posted by sammykitten

my only extraction is my 2nd-to-back tooth on the bottom. I would go with the extraction instead of a root canal. (I don't enjoy dentists).

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Me too. For a tooth that can’t be seen anyway.
I was too scared years ago to have root canal (had no knowledge of what it involved and was imagining all sorts) so went with extraction (second to back tooth on bottom).
A few years ago, the same tooth on the other side needed root canal or extraction after lots of problems. I went with root canal. Unfortunately for me, the anaesthetic didn’t work properly and I felt the whole thing. Not as bad as with no anaesthetic, but it was painful and it’s put me off. I’m not a wimp really when it comes to pain and needles etc, but I now hate going to the dentist. It has made me very anxious visiting these days.

[Jan]

I had my third from the front double tooth taken out as a long time ago I had heard that root canal treatment was horrendous. I regret that now because I have such a large gap there that cannot chew food on that side. I had not realised how big that tooth was.

[Vanillapod]

OH has had failed root canal.
I’ve never seen him is such a state.
It was a weekend so an emergency appointment was the only option.
He went on a Saturday and they did nothing so went for a second appointment on the Sunday to a different practice and just begged them to extract.
They weren’t keen because it was too inflamed for anaesthetic to be effective but they did it and he looked like a new person immediately!

He’s had successful root canal too but that one he paid for.

This was NHS. I’m not knocking the NHS but the appointment times don’t allow for what Mr Tom describes which exactly what OH had privately.

[Pumpkin Pie]

I had a root canal done around 35 years ago (NHS) and never had a days problem since. You have my sympathies - I hate going to the dentist.

[Posiesmum]

I’d go for extraction.
I lost the same tooth as you describe, and it’s not visible and I only know it’s not there! I had to have an extraction on the NHS (cost about £50?) as the private dentist I saw for root canal had done a terrible job and charged me over £1000 for the pleasure.
I am a terrible coward at the dentist and can honestly say it didn’t hurt at all. It was also loads quicker than the root canal work.